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CHUTE.

No. 880,707. Patented Apr. 1o, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HULBERT H. ARNER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

CHUTE.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,707l dated April 10, 1888. Application filed December 28, 1885. Serial No. 186.849. (No model.)

larranged and constructed that boxes or packages will descend by the force of gravity without receiving injury during the downward movement.

My improvements are fully described and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings and the novel features thereof specified in the claims annexed to the said specification.

My improved package-delivery chute is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation. view. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the sec tions composing the chute, detached. Fig. 4 is a section of the same on the line c', Fig. 8. Fig. 5 represents the upper end of the movable trough at the lower end of the spiral chute.

In the accompanying drawings,representing my invention, AA is the spiral delivery-chute; B, a central post or standard about which the chute is arranged; C, the delivery-trough at the lower end ofthe chute; and D D represent the floors of the building in which the chute is erected.

The chute consists, essentially, of a spiral trough or channel placed in an upright or nearly upright position, and arranged or constructed in suoli a manner that boxes or packages of merchandise lwill descend through it with a continuous movement without attaining a rate of speed which might produceinjury to them or the goods contained in them. The descent of the packages is retarded by the i. y vfriction on the bottom or sides of the chute.

If the movement of the packages in descending becomes too rapid, they crowd outward Fig. 2 is a plan little higher than the inner,

from the action of centrifugal force, and the friction against the outer wall of the chute is increased, so that the velocity is reduced. I have determined by experiment that in order to produce these results with packages of ordinary merchandise the bottom ofthe chute should be placed at such an inclination with the horizontal as to make one turn around its axis in about four feet of its length, and I accordingly prefer to construct my improved chute with this pitch, but theinclination may be increased or decreased according to the character of the goods to be handled, being made greater for light and less for unusually heavy packages.

My improved delivery-chute may be made of any desired size or height, and it may pass through any or all of the floors of any building in connection with which it is employed, so that packages may be placed in it on any of the stories to be delivered thereby to the lower story or basement.

My improved delivery-chute may be constructed of any suitable materials; but I prefer either to provide it with a metallic lining or, as represented in the drawings, to form it of a series of spiral metallic sections attached to a suitable upright or standard. The spiral trough or channel constituting myl improved delivery-chute may be made of any preferred shape in cross-section, according to the character of the goods which it is designed to pass through it. rIhus it may be circular or oval, or, as shown in the drawings, of a rectangular form adapted to receive boxes of goods. In the latter case I prefer to give the bottom of the trough, as seen in vertical section, aslight inclination upward, so that its outer edge is a as shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose of reducing the tendency of the boxes in their descent to crowd against the outside of the chute.

The manner of constructing my improved deliverychute will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings. The central standard, B, is sustained in posiL tion by a suitable pillar or other support, E, Fig. l, resting on the lower floor or basement of the building. Each of thespiral sections F,

Figs. 3 and 4, of which the chute is composed is provided with an eye7 G, which rits over the IOO . chute-sections.

standard and'serves to sustain the sections in their proper relative positions, so as to produce a uniform spiral trough. In the accompanying drawings I have represented the sections as made of such dimensions that three of them form one turn of the spiral; but they may be made larger or smaller. rlhe standard B is preferably made of a tube, and in case its length requires that it should be composed of a number of pieces, the joints may be united by interval screw-connections, or the ends of any two adjoining sections of pipe may be bolted or riveted to the eye G of one of the The outer flange, H, of the chute may be formed integral with the chutesections, or it may be applied to the outer margins thereof and secured in any suitable manner. The inner wall of the chute, if an inner wall be used, may also be formed in one piece with the chute-sections; but I prefer to make it of anged spirally-bent segments, as indicated at I I', Fig. 2, which are riveted or bolted to the bottoms of two adjoining chute-sections, thereby securing them rmly together. The radial edges of the chute-sections may be attached together by a plate riveted or bolted to the outside; or the lower edge of each section may be provided with a depressed lip or margin, J, Fig. 3, over which the upper edge of the next lower section projects, being bolted or riveted thereto. A similar lip may also be formed on the outer wall of the chute-sections, if desired, as indicated at K, Fig. 3.

At its upper end, L, the chute may be made wider and of less inclination to facilitate the introduction of the boxes or packages. A t-able or platform, N, may also be arranged in convenient relation to the upper end of the chute, on which the goods are collected previous to passing them down through the chute. At its lower end I provide an inclined trough or channel, C, through which the packages on emerging from the chute are discharged onto the floor of one of the lower stories of the building or onto a suitable table or platform.

This trough may be stationary and attached to the chute or its support in any suitable way; but I prefer to make it movable, as indicated in the drawings, so that the point of delivery may be varied or changed, as from O to O', Fig. 2. rlhis arrangementis particularly convenient in handling different classes of goods, which may thereby be kept entirely separate. The trough C, which may be of wood or metal, is pivoted to a suitable support at its upper end, its lower end being supported by a chain or rope, I?, attached to the ceiling in any pre` ferred manner.

Any suitable device may be employed for fastening the chain to the ceiling in the different positions in which the trough is designed to be used; but I prefer to attach the chain to a slide or roller, Q, which travels along on the suspended track It when the trough is shifted to change the place of delivery.

The track R is supported by the hangers S.

The chain is attached to an angular bracket, T, which is provided with a shaft on which the roller Q turns. The track is preferably made curved, as represented in Fig. 2.

Provision may be made for altering the length of the chain to vary the inclination of the trough. By reducing the inclination of the trough the velocity attained by the packages in their descent through the chute may be gradually and smoothly retarded, so that they deliver themselves onto the table or platform O gently and without shock or concussion. rFhis operation is also facilitated by applying to the lower end of the trough the guideway U, which extends beyond the trough and rests on the table. The guideway, which is preferably made slightly concave on its upper side, serves to retard the packages and assists in their discharge onto the table at a diminished velocity.

The guideway may be made of a sheet of metal or of two or more parallel bars, and is detachably connected to the trough in any convenient way-as,for instance,by hooks formed on its upper end, which engage with one of the cross-bars ofthe trough. Where the bottom of the trough consists of parallel bars, as shown in the accompanying drawings, the guideway also vis made of bars located between those of the trough.

The upper end of the trough is pivoted at V, Fig. 5, on the end of abracket, W, attached to the pillar E or to any other suitable support. By this arrangement the trough is permitted to be swung radially, so as to change the point of delivery, as indicated by the full and dotted lines C C', Fig. 2. The sides of the trough are curved or dared outward at its upper end, as represented at X, Figs. l and 5, so as to permit the swinging movement of the trough without presenting an edge or corner against which the packages might strike as they emerge from the lower end of the chute. I may also connect the sides ofthe chute with thesides ofthe trough by flexible strips of metal, Y, Fig. 1, the upper ends of which are attached to the sides of the chute by bolts or screws passing through slots, so as to permit the swinging movement of the trough. A hook, Z, Fig. l, serves to vary the inclination of the trough by being engaged at different points with the chain l?. The chains a c extend downward and outward from the hook, their lower ends being connected with the arms b b, attached to the trough, which serve to prevent the packages from coming in contact with the chains.

Provision may be made for bracing the upright standardvfrom any convenient point of the building, as indicated at c, Fig. 1, and the chute may be connected with the floors of the building through which it passes in any suitable manner.

It is unnecessary to remark that in the con struction of my improved delivery-chute care should be taken to avoid any projecting corners or irregularities'which would form ob- IOO IIO

structions to the passage of the boxes or packages through it. The chute may be partially or wholly inclosed, as indicated at d, Fig. 1, so that in the latter case any interference with the merchandise passing through it by persons on any lower door may be prevented.

In the accompanying drawings I have represented my improved spiral chute as erected within a building or factory and passing through the floors of the same; but itis evident that where such a construction should be inconvenient for any reason it might be put up outside the walls, being supported therefrom by braces, and suitable arrangements being made for the introduction of boxes or packages into the chute by persons within the building.

By the use of myimproved spiral chutelarge quantities of boxes or other packages may be delivered from any one of the upper stories of a manufacturing establishment to thebasement or shipping-room at a trifling cost, while the operation of the device is so simple and free from shock or concussion that glassware may be handled through it with entire safety.

I claim- 25 l. A parcel or package delivery chute formed of a series of spiral chute-sections attached together by means of the depressed lips J, substantially as'described.

2. rIhe combination, with the spiral pack- 3o age-delivery chute A, of the inclined dischargetrough G, guideway U, and table or platform O, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the spiral package-delivery chute A, of the inclined movable 35 discharge trough O,.track R, connection P, bracket T,and slide or roller Q, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the spiral package-delivery chute Aand the movable inclined 4o discharge-trough C, provided with arms b b, of the connection a aP, bracket T, track R, and slide or roller Q, substantially as described.

HULBERT H. WARNER.

Witnesses:

G. G. MAcPHERsoN, C. S. WHITTEMORE. 

